Last updated on February 1st, 2023 at 10:33 am
The 2022 labor shortage will be a huge problem for the United States, and it is going to affect every industry. The labor shortage is expected to be around 2 million workers, but that number could climb as high as 4 million if we do not act soon. At present, there’s already a deficit of almost 800,000 workers in the U.S. job market. It can’t afford to let the situation worsen.
This shortage is going to have an impact on everything from agriculture to healthcare, including new e-commerce businesses like the one you might be starting. However, the business must go on as usual despite the crisis. So, how can you grow your new e-commerce business despite the 2022 labor shortage? Let’s find out.
Consult With Expert Strategists
Scaling your business during an economic and labor crisis is never a wise idea. However, with the right guidance and strategy, things might work out for you. In such a situation, you can improve your sales, reach a wider audience, and eventually grow your e-commerce platform. Since there’s a labor shortage in the market, and your business is only getting started, there’s no need to hire expert strategists in full-time positions. Instead, you can work with different companies and consultants to get the job done.
It’s important to seek advice from people who have experience in the field. If you’re just starting out, this will help you develop a strategy that makes sense for your business and your goals. These experts will know what they’re doing, so they’ll be able to tell you how best to go about growing your company. You’ll also be able to talk with them about your goals and how they relate to those of other companies in your industry.Â
With a labor shortage, it is more important than ever to appreciate and value the staff that you already have. As you consult with expert strategists on growing your eCommerce business, a portion of that budget and time may be spent on outsourcing experts to help you grow your existing leadership team and team members. Labor shortages often mean more pressure on existing staff, especially if you are not able to immediately outsource the work. There comes a point in businesses where staff begin to take on more work, and get close to breaking point. By obtaining expert strategies and support on keeping your staff engaged, progressing their skills and talents, and ensuring their wellbeing, you will be able to effectively grow your eCommerce business from the inside. Often, businesses neglect to value and progress their own staff, in pursuit of higher profits. While a strategy for your eCommerce business is important, so are the staff behind the doors running it. With the investment of consultants to support your staff, you will create long-term and sustainable growth in your eCommerce business. Leadership assessment is often one of the most important consultations a business can seek, as it can help drive a dynamic and high performing team.
When consulting with experts, make sure you consider both your eCommerce strategy, and the staff that work behind the scenes.
Automate the Order Processing System
Automating your order processing systems is one of the most important things you can do to grow your e-commerce business. It frees up valuable time that you can use to focus on other parts of your e-commerce business. Here are some ways to automate your order processing.
- Use an automated email response system that lets customers know when their order has been received and is being processed. This will help reduce customer frustration and make them feel more confident about shopping with you again.
- Use shipping software that automatically calculates shipping costs based on weight and distance, so you don’t have to manually calculate those costs for each individual order. This way, all of your customers will see the exact shipping price they have to pay, no matter where they live or how much their order weighs.
- Use inventory management software to track which products are selling well so that you can restock those items regularly. We’ll discuss this in detail in the next section.
Automate the Inventory Management System
If you’re an e-commerce business owner, the last thing you want to be doing is manually track your inventory, especially when there’s a labor shortage in the market. You need to focus on making sales, managing customers and suppliers, and keeping your website up-to-date.
Inventory management is one of the most important parts of running an e-commerce business. You need to make sure that your products are always available and ready for customers who want them. This is a time-consuming process, and it can be easy to lose track of what you have in stock and what you need to restock.
Automating your inventory management system will help you keep track of all this information and make sure your product catalog is always up-to-date. It will also allow you to spend more time on other aspects of running your business, such as marketing, advertising, and customer service.
Rely Heavily on Marketing
If you want to grow your e-commerce business, you have to rely on marketing. You can’t just put up a website and expect the sales to roll in. You need to know how to sell online, and that means finding ways to market your products online. Amazon invested over $16 billion in advertising in 2021 alone. While you don’t have to match those numbers, you must still consider investing heavily in this area.
One of the best ways to do this is through social media. Social media gives you a way to reach out directly to people who are already interested in your product or service, and it lets you connect with them on a personal level. But it’s not enough just to create a Facebook page or Twitter account; you need content that will get people excited about what you’re doing and ultimately willing to buy something from you.
The labor crisis is likely to continue for some time. The global economy at present isn’t doing too well either, and e-commerce businesses, as always, are a risky bet. With almost 90% of e-commerce platforms shutting down within just four months of operation, you must do whatever you can to grow your business despite the labor shortage.
